[SSRI-Research] Paxil Side-Effects Hinder Glaxo Employee's Ability to Work

[Guest guest]

ssri-research

 

Wed, 30 Jun 2004 21:25:52 -0700 (PDT)

[sSRI-Research] Paxil Side-Effects Hinder Glaxo Employee's Ability to

Work

 

Glaxo Ex-Employee Sues Over Antidepressant Use

 

http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2004/6/emw135361.htm

 

Glaxo ( " GSK " ) employee harassed after he admitted use of

antidepressant medication and asking the company management for

help. Statistics show that most men choose to not discuss their

problems with depression and anxiety, but Ronald Thomas took that

chance with hopes that GSK would be sympathetic especially since

they manufacture Paxil. Thomas, a 20-year GSK employee witnessed

both himself and a coworker being victims of extreme hostility by

their management and Human Resources. Both professional employees

felt it necessary to resign. Thomas says that the company has a non-

discrimination policy but failed to follow it.

 

PITTSBURGH, PA (PRWEB) June 30, 2004 -- A GlaxoSmithKline PLC,

( " GSK " ) ex-employee has filed a lawsuit against the company in

Pennsylvania court claiming that he was harassed, discriminated, and

retaliated against. Ronald Thomas, indicated that the company on

several instances had harassed him and a coworker after learning of

their use of Paxil and/or other antidepressant medications. Thomas

said that GSK exhibited severe hostility by using the employee's

vulnerabilities to attack them while experiencing horrific side-

effects and maintaining an acceptable level of work performance.

 

Thomas who currently resides in New York and cares for a severely

disabled son was taking antidepressant medication when he began to

suffer from severe side effects and decided to confer with his

management. Thomas claims that the company talked him out of taking

a medical leave and then made several hostile moves against him

which he says were acts of harassment to force his resignation.

Thomas indicated that he resigned on the basis of constructive

discharge.

 

Thomas claims that prior to his resignation he witnessed the company

cruelly harassing his coworker who they knew was taking Paxil, a

drug that Glaxo manufactures. Thomas said that his heart bled for

the coworker and that the two had often discussed Glaxo's repulsive

actions toward their own employees. When Thomas confronted Glaxo and

spoke of discrimination, he says that the company retaliated in a

strategic manner to protect themselves from being sued. Thomas said

that he thought that the company would have been more sympathetic of

the health condition and needs of their own employees, but

discovered a different reaction.

 

Glaxo's website includes a " Career " section where the company boasts

its " Lifestyle Benefits " in the following mission statement: " Our

mission is to help people 'do more, feel better and live longer',

and this approach is extended to our people. Lifestyle Benefits are

designed to make it easier for you to balance your work and personal

life, and to care for yourself and your family -- whatever your

circumstances. "

 

Thomas said, " Glaxo's mission statement is hypocritical and is

nothing more than propaganda. Glaxo didn't help me nor my coworker

and they certainly didn't help me to feel better! " Thomas, an

information technology professional says, " I've seen this company

fail at implementing million dollar IT projects and then candy-coat

the severity of it. As a stockholder myself, it really concerns me

as to what I've seen as an insider. While other companies were

cutting budgets during a bad economic time, Glaxo would be

discarding perfectly good monitors and replacing them with flat

panel monitors. Look at the matter surrounding the extravagant CEO

compensation package and Glaxo's refusal to sell to Canadian drug

distributors. Is this how Glaxo benefits from the high cost of their

drugs? "

 

Thomas had been with Glaxo for 20-years when he decided to resign

and file a $800,000.00 lawsuit against the company on

discrimination, harassment, and retaliation charges. Thomas said

that his biggest challenge will be acquiring his coworker as an

expert witness at his trial because Glaxo had his coworker sign a

general release agreement to not participate in any court actions

against the company in exchange for unemployment benefits.

 

The announcement of this lawsuit comes several weeks after New York

Attorney General Eliot Spitzer filed a lawsuit against Glaxo

charging the company suppressed negative information from scientific

studies that could potentially trigger suicidal thoughts in children

taking Paxil.

 

Thomas says, " I'm not ashamed to admit usage of antidepressant

medication during a bad time in my life, and I'm certainly not

afraid to stand up for what is right. I have spent most my younger

years fighting for the rights of a disabled child. In regard to my

experience, I would have the utmost pleasure to appear on prime time

television! "

 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Ronald Thomas

PO Box 928, Bellport NY, 11713

631.379.3603